Another BC Interior emergency department shutting down temporarily due to lack of doctors

Yet another temporary closure of an emergency department in the British Columbia Interior is planned for today.

This time it’s once again at 100 Mile House General Hospital.

The hospital doesn’t have enough physicians to stay open throughout Wednesday, Interior Health said.

It will therefore be closed between 7 am and 3 pm.

Anyone in need of emergency care should instead go to Williams Lake (about 92 kilometres away from the hospital), Lillooet (about 180 km) or Kamloops (196 km).

“People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility,” Interior Health explained in a bulletin released late last night.

“Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 811, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.”